Can Political Parties Evolve If the Political System Does Not?

Abstract

Political parties within democratic systems are facing enormous challenges. The democratic system and political parties have changed relatively little in the course of modern history. However, today's societies and economies are experiencing major changes due to globalisation and the disruptive power of the Internet. Traditional party politics and party activities are no longer as appealing as in the past. Thus political parties need to change to regain their appeal with voters. However, such changes are only possible to a certain extent: despite the fact that political parties have new tools available to them to communicate and organise their supporters, the political system defines the environment and limits within which they operate. Political parties can only evolve to a limited extent in an unchanging political system. The renewal of the political and democratic process has to include both the evolution of the existing political structures and finding innovative new ways in which to enhance political communication and mobilisation.